Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has criticized Montenegro’s political establishment, urging Podgorica to stop “showing its teeth” to Belgrade and instead extend a hand to the “brotherly Serbian people.” Speaking to reporters while touring the Expo 2027 construction site on Thursday, Vučić responded to Montenegrin media commentary suggesting that officials in Podgorica are becoming increasingly willing to take a tougher position toward Serbia. He said he would prefer Montenegro to focus on helping Serbs rather than participating in what he described as campaigns against them, underscoring the tensions between the two neighboring countries.
Vučić framed the current differences around several major foreign policy issues. Montenegro has recognized Kosovo’s independence, joined NATO and imposed sanctions on Russia, while Serbia has maintained different positions on all three issues. Vučić said Serbia does not intend to recognize Kosovo and remains under pressure from Germany and other Western countries to change its approach. His comments come amid continued European efforts to normalize relations between Belgrade and Pristina, including proposals that would require Serbia to accept Kosovo’s position internationally without necessarily issuing formal recognition.
Serbia and Montenegro Remain Divided Over Foreign Policy
The Serbian president also pointed to the two countries’ economic performance, noting that Serbia had previously trailed Montenegro in average salaries but has since overtaken its neighbor. While expressing a desire to see Montenegro succeed economically, Vučić linked the comparison to his broader criticism of Podgorica’s closer alignment with Western institutions. His comments came as he continues to promote Expo 2027 in Belgrade, a major international exhibition project that Serbia has presented as an opportunity to showcase its economic development and future ambitions.
Despite the sharp rhetoric, Vučić stopped short of suggesting that relations between Serbia and Montenegro were heading toward a permanent rupture. He characterized the current tensions as a form of political balancing and manipulation, while maintaining that Belgrade would not change its fundamental positions on Kosovo, NATO or sanctions against Russia.
The dispute reflects the broader political divergence that has developed since Montenegro declared independence from Serbia in 2006. Montenegro has pursued closer integration with the European Union and NATO, while Serbia has sought to maintain its own foreign policy position and preserve close ties with Russia and other partners. Those differences have repeatedly complicated relations between the two countries despite their geographical proximity and longstanding social and cultural connections.
Vučić’s latest remarks therefore underline the challenge facing any attempt to improve relations between Belgrade and Podgorica. While both countries have an interest in maintaining stable ties, their contrasting approaches to Kosovo, Russia and Western integration remain significant obstacles. For now, the Serbian president’s message is that Belgrade expects Montenegro to take account of the close connections between the two societies even as Podgorica continues pursuing its own foreign policy course.
